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Is 60dB gain enough for Kleos?

At age 52, after years of technological philandering, I am once again courting my old vinyl flame. I just bought a VPI Classic 3 because it looks like it was built in the fifties, like me. Now I am obsessing over the selection of cartridge and phono-amp. Every man needs his irrational, unsubstantiated religious beliefs, and mine include vacuum tubes (very fifties-ish) and a transformerless signal path.

So let's say that for the moment I am enamored with the Fosgate Signature phono-amp, which having a 60dB gain without any input transformer. Now I have read that this works best with a high-output MC in the 0.8 to 1.0 mV range.

Here's the rub ... I am very intrigued by the Lyra Kleos, my fascination with which is due in no small part to the musings in these pages of J Carr himself. Alas, the Kleos has an output of only 0.5 mV. So I seek the advice of those who might have pertinent experience!

Dave
david_pully

Showing 2 responses by bifwynne

bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
What Al says makes sense. My phono pre is an ARC PH-7 which has 57.5 db of gain. The noise and hum stat is 70db. My line-stage is an ARC Ref-5 which has 12 db of gain if the XLR output is used, which it is in my case. The noise and hum stat is 109db. So total gain is almost 70db.

ARC advised me that I should not use a cartridge that produces less than .5mV of gain, and more would be better. So far, I have used high output MC and MM cartridges that produce more than 2mV so I can't personally vouch that .5mV is ok, but what I can say is that what Al says is consistent with the advice ARC gave me.

FWIW
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Jwpstayman & David..., do you know the compliance ratings of the Delos and Kleos??

I own a VPI Classic 1 (w/Classic 3 arm). I've had mixed results with various carties. Finally got a SS VPI Zephyr. It works fine.

Also Jwp..., what did you find deficient with the Delos and Kleos?
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